1. Field
The present disclosure relates to a thermoelectric material, a thermoelectric element including the thermoelectric material, and methods of preparing the thermoelectric element, and a thermoelectric module including the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
The thermoelectric effect is the reversible and direct conversion of energy between heat and electricity and is generated as an electron and a hole move in a thermoelectric material. The thermoelectric effect is classified as the Peltier effect, which provides cooling using a temperature difference between ends of a thermoelectric material due to an applied electric current, and the Seebeck effect, which provides power generation using an electromotive force generated from a temperature difference between ends of a thermoelectric material.
A current thermoelectric material is used in a semiconductor apparatus to provide a passive cooling system, and in an electronic device to provide an active cooling system. Demands for an improved thermoelectric material are increasing for cooling applications where a refrigerant gas compression method is unsuitable. Thermoelectric cooling technology is an environmentally friendly cooling technology with no vibration and low noise, and avoids use of a refrigerant gas, which can cause environmental problems. Still there remains a need for an improved thermoelectric material. A higher efficiency thermoelectric cooling material would provide for an expanded range of applications, including general-use cooling, such as in a refrigerator or an air conditioner. Also, a thermoelectric power generating material may be applied where heat is emitted, such as in a car engine or in an industrial factory, to generate power from a temperature difference generated at opposite ends of the thermoelectric power generating material. Thus the thermoelectric power generating material is also receiving attention as a new energy source.